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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26109160">Spice Up the Mundane</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tutseti/pseuds/tutseti'>tutseti</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Umino Iruka, Friends to Lovers, Fuuinjutsu Master Umino Iruka, M/M, Slow Burn, Umino Iruka-centric</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 08:53:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26109160</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tutseti/pseuds/tutseti</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It usually took a shinobi years to determine their path if they weren’t prodigies or showed an affinity towards a specialty early on in their careers. Iruka knew far sooner than most that the unrelenting demands of the field were not for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>174</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Tags are subject to change. Edited by me so pardon any grammar errors I missed.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It usually took a shinobi years to determine their path if they weren’t prodigies or showed an affinity towards a specialty early on in their careers. He knew far sooner than most that the unrelenting demands of the field were not for him. He could do it and he had for a while, but when his jounin instructor suggested that he take the exam to advance his rank he honestly felt nauseated. He was fine with the chuunin level missions that involved couriering correspondence between villages or dignitaries, escorting merchants or individuals of semi-importance, and even some espionage and infiltration. He was a great team player and took direction well from his and other jounin captains. It was the combat that ultimately lead towards killing that he disliked.</p><p>Iruka felt that he had never been properly prepared for the weight of battle. Yes, he was trained how to fight with various weapons, use basic ninjutsu of various types, and where the vital points on the human body are in order to render your opponent incapable of defending themselves when delivering the killing blow. But that was the problem- he was taught how to kill. There was nothing about how to cope with the aftermath of such an act nor how to disable an opponent as a means of defense and self preservation. The emphasis was on the kill and only the kill. </p><p>He was trained when the Kyuubi attack was still fresh in everyone’s mind. There was no telling when a similar attack of such magnitude would happen. It was preceded by the third great shinobi war. The fear and paranoia ran deep within the lifeblood of the village. However shortly after he turned eighteen and had been a chuunin for a couple years it was becoming quite clear that the imaginary threat wasn’t coming. That combined with his ever increasing dread and anxiety when missions went south screamed at him that things needed to change.</p><p>With the sandaime’s permission (and strangely wide, knowing grin) Iruka was taken off the regular active field roster and began his new journey as an academy instructor. It wasn’t easy at first. Sure the change from working in a close knit team to wrangling 10-20 pre-genin wasn’t the smoothest transition but that was a cakewalk compared to the uphill battle with the instructor he was shadowing and most of the curriculum. Nothing had changed in the time since his graduation. He was constantly at odds with wanting to change the focus of some topics and adding new ones. There were many times he was called to the headmaster’s office and told to stop his nonsensical passive ideology. Things became so heated that eventually the hokage was brought in to mediate. To everyone’s surprise (including Iruka) Hiruzen suggested Iruka be assigned his own class as a controlled experiment. He would be given one of the next term’s graduating classes. During that year he would supplement the traditional curriculum with his own. At the end, in addition to the graduation exam, his class would be evaluated against their peers in a special field exercise to determine the validity and effectiveness of his changes.</p><p>Iruka’s class outperformed the others by a landslide in well rounded basics, critical thinking, adaptability, and determining when it was better to disarm and disable the opponent in order for a safe retreat to finish the objective instead of time wasted with a potentially pointless kill and jeopardization of the mission. The sandaime had that same grin he wore when Iruka first discussed his desire to become an instructor.</p><p>                                                                                                  ------------------------------------</p><p>He loved teaching, he really truly did. But it did get a bit monotonous. He decided to sign up to take on a couple shifts in the mission room to give himself a change of scenery as well as an opportunity to talk to others that were over the age of twelve. He also enjoyed the extra income. He was able to reconnect with some of his peers, make new acquaintances and even become surprisingly fast friends with shinobi he never thought he would have anything in common with like Genma, Anko, and Raidou.  Apparently word travels fast when a “lowly chuunin academy instructor” can make some of the most arrogant and pompous ninja cower and wet their pants like a scared toddler. The latter was apparently a bit of a flourish of exaggeration from Genma but it still gave Iruka the reputation of someone who was fearless and held everyone equally accountable. His friend circle slowly grew. He gained a reputation for being nurturing, fair, detail oriented and not someone to piss off. Iruka never forgot his prankster ways of old so it wasn’t uncommon to see a shinobi who attempted to disrespect him, his students, the teaching profession, or any of his friends covered in paint of various vibrant colors, suffering from a severe case of itching from powder added to their uniform, or trying to outrun various animals in heat because they were blasted by a large dose of pheromones. Some of his friends, new and old, may have also assisted in the execution of said pranks if for nothing else to watch his mind at work. Nothing could be officially traced back to him but it was an unspoken truth that he was the source.</p><p>The only drawback to his teaching career was that his own personal development stalled. When the academy went on extended breaks he took on courier missions in order to have a change of scenery and not become rusty. Because of his teaching his taijutsu skills were extremely balanced and had the right amount of concentrated force to be highly effective while not putting unnecessary strain on his stamina level and chakra reserves- something Gai complimented him on repeatedly. His shurikenjutsu was also extremely accurate. It couldn’t rival Genma as those and senbon were his specialty but he was definitely better than most. His ninjutsu was where he lacked. He tried expanding it with medical techniques so he could treat some of his students in the interim until a medi-nin arrived should anything happen. And while he was praised for having good chakra control he didn’t have much talent for anything other using the mystical palm technique for short bursts that was only good for relatively minor cuts and bruises. No matter how creative he was at pranks he couldn’t translate it into ninjutsu.  Since the passing of his parents Hiruzen had been a guiding voice of wisdom for him. It only made since that he seek out his advice. In this case he mainly needed to vent out his frustrations over his own lack of aptitude. </p><p>He was perplexed when he awoke the next morning to find a series of scrolls and journals on his kitchen table. There was a small note card next to them with a message in the hokage’s neat yet powerful handwriting. “I will be waiting to see what antics these inspire. Use them well.” He felt his face flush as the note was the hokage’s way of both busting and encouraging his antics. However he was more curious as to what these items were that the head of the Sarutobi clan decided he should read. Some of these items were extremely old and well worn. His eyes grew wide when he saw the Uzushiogakure symbol on the majority of the items. He glanced through the first journal before quickly shutting it and setting it down. He felt his breathing become rapid and he had to run his hands over his face. This book was a shinobi journal on fūinjutsu and given the dates listed he was able to realize that this was written during the time of the first hokage, Senju Hashirama. Why would Hiruzen give him access to something so valuable?  Once he settled his nerves he sat down and opened the book again. It read more like a diary and he couldn’t prevent himself from letting out a gasp when he deduced that the author was more than likely Lady Uzumaki Mito. </p><p>The more he read the more he was engrossed and utterly fascinated. He had always loved history so of course reading the actual writings and first hand accounts of the honorable wife of Lord Senju and first jinchūriki of Konohagakure appealed to him in that way. He was more fascinated by the methodology of the fūinjutsu she created, breaking down each component in such a clear and concise breakdown. Thankfully he had the day to himself because he quickly realized that he would not be going anywhere for a while.</p><p>Sarutobi had gifted him with more than just a diary from Lady Mito. The scrolls and many of the other journals contained records and instructions for many of the sealing jutsu that made Uzushiogakure both famed and feared. He had thought everything had been lost with the village’s destruction but there he was reading some of them in his kitchen with his 3rd cup of tea so far that day. He had to pause again when he read another journal. The author was Namikaze Minato- the fourth hokage. The man had saved the village using a seal jutsu so powerful that it caused his death, thus becoming forbidden.. While it didn’t delve into the creation of his own jutsu, like Uzumaki Mito’s his journal broke down his formulation and thought process while he was learning from someone named Uzumaki Kushina. Her name was written with an embellishment that was uncharacteristically different from the rest of his handwriting. He saw similar on the occasional love letter he would snatch from his students passing notes during class. It made him chuckle.</p><p>During his spare time when he wasn’t grading papers, stuck covering extra shifts in the mission room, running around the village chasing after Naruto, or being dragged out to who knows where by Anko, Genma, Kotetsu and Izumo, or even Mizuki (but only when it was just the two of them and before the bastard literally stabbed him in the back), he would spend hours drawing seals and rereading the maddenly complex instructions. He would practice on something small in his apartment at first. Putting a barrier around a teapot and hurling something at it to test if it was protected. He went through many (he just had to prefer the ceramic ones all thanks to the sandaime spoiling his tea experience for the better) before it finally worked, causing him to shout with glee. Another advanced opportunity came when Anko decided to let loose a baby snake in his apartment. She sheepishly apologized, saying that it was still in the training stages when it wouldn’t heed her commands. He needed practice with a moving target so he would let this slide. He sped through a series of hand signs and slammed his hand onto the ground. Her eyes went wide like they did whenever she saw dango as a sealing formula raced across the floor until it reached the serpent, trapping it. She picked it up once he released the jutsu and grinned at him, beaming with pride and the beginnings of something mischievous.</p><p>“Let’s see what else you can do, ‘Ruki-chan."</p><p>With her help, he was able to “test” various types of sealing tags on objects throughout the village. Asuma’s lighter and Genma’s senbon had been rather interesting challenges. When both men caught on they soon chimed in. Genma had been the one to suggest using a human guinea pig. Anko had been an adamant second. Asuma just sat back and listened as the two tokubetsu gave rapid fire suggestions on what type of tag it should be. They also insisted that the “victim” needed to be one Hatake Kakashi. Asuma laughed and offered to pay for a month’s worth of ramen as incentive if Iruka could pull one over on Kakashi. Iruka had never agreed to anything so fast in his life. It was more than just the ramen. In the few months he had been working at the mission desk Kakashi had infuriated him like none other. He was always late handing in reports that were often illegible or in piss-poor condition, which caused Iruka to repeatedly lecture him about it. And then there was that god-awful orange book! Iruka had no qualms with erotic literature. He’d read Icha Icha himself. And while it was too far fetched in its plot, how the female form was over exaggerated or that the men were practically gods in bed was a tad too annoying for his liking,but he did see the appeal. He just preferred other authors. But more importantly he strongly believed that porn of any kind should not be read or viewed in front of children.  There was something about the man that got under his skin and made him prickly like a porcupine. He also suspected that the jounin was now irritating him intentionally. The last time Iruka yelled at him Kakashi said that he was cute when he was angry just as casually as one would talk about the weather.</p><p>He spent the next week combing through journal after journal searching for something he could use or alter just enough that he could catch Kakashi completely by surprise. There had been a seal mentioned in the yondaime’s notes for a space-time jutsu that seemed promising but because the seal was a series of specific kanji there was no way to alter it. The thought of making Hatake suddenly vanish and reappear elsewhere was extremely appealing. He read it over again. There was a reference to a drawing of a different seal for a similar technique with the name and its creator- Flying Thunder God Technique… Senjou Tobirama.  The more he researched he realized that the nidaime’s seal was much more appealing to him and something he had never seen before so the unrecognizability worked well in his favor. </p><p>It would take another couple weeks in order to modify it to compensate for his skill level since this was clearly an S-ranked jutsu and something he had no experience with but any payback against Hatake Kakashi was worth all the extra effort. He meticulously worked out the formula and drawing until it was exactly to his liking. Because he didn’t know how much of a toll it would take on his chakra since he had never performed a jutsu in this classification he was determined to keep the teleportation distance relatively short. There happened to be a fountain less than a block from the mission desk that looked like the ideal prak destination. He decided to run some tests after the desk closed in order to keep up the secrecy of his hijinks. His first test was something small- a pen. He placed one tag on a dry area of the fountain before his shift. He had made the tag small enough to be discreet as to not draw any attention. Then when he was sure he was alone he place a tag on his pen and made his hands for the Seal of Confrontation. In the time that took less than a blink the pen vanished. He quickly bolted from his chair and ran to the fountain. He ended up having to wade into the water but eventually he found the pen. The last time he felt such a swell of pride was when he was a child and presented a crude drawing of the hokage rock to the delight of his parents. He knew he was headed in the right direction.</p><p>He was able to rope Anko and Izumo into helping him with his final test with the promise of dango and drinks afterwards. With lots of very loud screams of “Pick me!” it was decided that Anko would be the human subject. Izumo stayed off to the side to be both a second set of eyes and to rush to Iruka’s aid if it was obvious the jutsu took a toll on his chakra. Determined to make things as realistic as possible Anko imitated Kakashi right down to his slouch and pushing of Iruka’s buttons by saying all the things that have irritated him in the past but what she insisted were clearly evidence of Kakashi being hot and horny for the teacher and his attempts at getting some private tutoring. Iruka rolled his eyes and slapped the seal tag on the back of her hand. He watched her devilish grin widen as he activated the technique.</p><p>“You really did it!” Izumo rushed over to the place where Anko had just been mere seconds before and looked around. “Iruka, you actually did it! This is amazing!” Iruka gave a small smile and slumped in his seat, feeling a bit more drained than he had anticipated. Not going unnoticed, the fellow chuunin went to his aid. He waved him off, assuring him that he was fine. It was more important to make sure Anko was okay. They made their way to the fountain and the sight of Anko cackling like a mad woman, splashing about made them grin. As soon as she saw them she flung water at them and raved about what an amazing rush the sudden disappearance and reappearance above the fountain before falling into the pool had been. She begged him to do it again.</p><p>It wasn’t until Kakashi had been assigned Team 7 that Iruka finally had an opportunity to exact his revenge. Up until that point the jounin’s visits to the mission’s room were few and far between. Most of his missions prior had come directly from the hokage. He made sure to plan his stunt to coincide with everyone in his new little family being in town at the same time. Plus Asuma promised him a month of ramen so he needed him to watch his moment of triumph.</p><p>The moment came after their argument over the chuunin exams. In the heat of the moment he had been furious with the older man’s decision. Maybe he was a little overprotective about Naruto, but he felt that way towards all his former students. It was this class in particular and the fact that were his pupils only a few months prior. He felt that they needed more time. Hiruzen sided with Kakashi but came up with a preliminary exam as a compromise. If Kakashi hadn’t been such an asshole about his feelings and opinion he wouldn’t have embarrassed himself in front of everyone. Now that he had removed himself from the situation and had time to calm down he was willing to accept the recommendations. His pride had other plans.</p><p>Anko sent one of her baby snakes to alert him that Kakashi was headed to the mission’s desk. She intended to wait at the fountain so she could laugh at her colleague. Asuma hung around in the back of the room, smoking per usual while Genma was abnormally focused during their joint shift. Iruka chalked it up to anticipation. Unfortunately Kotetsu and Izumo were on gate watch duty. Iruka was feeling a bit nervous but not because there were so many witnesses. There was no way hiding or deflecting the fact that he was the perpetrator this time and while in the past he would want to keep it that way this time he wanted everyone to know. He also wanted to show off and remind everyone that he was more than just a simple academy instructor and that this one act was worth all his late hours reading and teaching himself fūinjutsu. And yet he was nervous. He held no malice towards Kakashi. Others would disagree based on their now legendary verbal altercation and of course all the times Kakashi aggravated him with his reports and that lowbrow reading material. He didn’t have time for an introspective about why it was so important to him that Kakashi know that he didn’t hate him. This was about his pride and also giving the other a taste of his own medicine.</p><p>Iruka forced himself to remain calm as the jounin got into his receiving line. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Asuma putting out his cigarette. He made sure to continue on as normal but internally he was shaking with anticipation. When Kakashi approached Genma, he decided right at that moment to return to his normal laziness and just watch what was about to unfold.</p><p>“Nice day outside, Iruka-sensei.” Everyone else in the room had stopped to stare at the two, still assuming they were at odds. They were probably expecting him to yell and scream at Kakashi but Iruka just smiled and stared at him, waiting patiently for the excuse about why the report was late this time. When Kakashi didn’t say anything more, Genma coughed loudly. Apparently either Kakashi was waiting for him to answer or that was the senbon user’s not so subtle way of making sure he stayed on task.</p><p>“Indeed, Kakashi-sensei. I will accept your report now.”</p><p>“Yeah… about that…” Iruka kept up his facade and sighed, even adding an eye roll for good measure. Genma’s grin reassured that it was all convincing enough. When he met Kakashi’s eye there was something different but he couldn’t place it. “You see, that’s not why I’m here. I mean, I have a report but I forgot it. I wanted to talk to you, actually. I wanted to know if maybe…. you know… if we could talk. Maybe over di--”</p><p>“Kakashi-sensei!” Iruka couldn’t sit through this any longer. If he didn’t go through with it now then he would lose his nerve, not to mention the opportunity of making a dent in Asuma’s pocket book. “May I see your hand, please?” The room suddenly became utterly silent. Kakashi tilted his head, narrowing his eye a bit. The action suddenly reminded Iruka of a confused puppy. It was actually rather cute and endearing.</p><p>“Um… such an odd request, sensei. But since you asked ever so sweetly...” He shrugged his shoulders and held out his hand. </p><p>For a split second Iruka almost felt bad but then he remembered all the aggravation from the messily written reports and excuses for them. “No hard feelings but you had this one coming.” His lips curved into a deceptively sweet grin. He moved quickly, taking advantage of the other’s puzzlement and bizarrely trusting nature. He slapped the seal onto his palm and activated it. He took delight in the widening of the other’s sole storm color eye the split second before he vanished. Everyone in the room was filled with a stunned silence. The only sound was the soft metal clink of Genma’s senbon landing on the desk in front of him.</p><p>Iruka sat back in his seat and let out a sigh as his body sagged into the stiff wood. Even though he felt exhausted he couldn’t help the smug satisfaction that enveloped him. He pulled off what he considered to be his ultimate prank on the most elite, feared and respected nin in all of Konohagakure next to the hokage. With so many witnesses word would soon spread quickly that no one, under any circumstance, should dare get on his bad side. He made Hatake Kakashi vanish after all.</p><p>The silence was shattered by the loud roaring laughter as Anko burst through the mission room and made a beeline for the desk. She leapt over the desk and tackled Iruka, sending them both crashing to the ground. “Oh man, you should have seen it!” she cried. “Kakashi had no idea what hit him! He looked like a sad, confused and pissed off puppy after he hit the water. It was seriously the most amazing thing I have seen in my entire life! You are seriously the best, Ruki-chan! If you weren’t like my baby brother I would so kiss you right now!” Now the room was filled with murmurs talking about what everyone just saw. Genma shook off his stunned stupor and was now joining Anko in joint celebratory praise. Iruka’s whole body felt like it was on fire as his skin flushed heavily.</p><p>However the room was silent once more when Raidou, accompanied by an anbu, walked into the room from the hallway that connected to the hokage tower. All his pride and joyfulness vanished and he felt dread form a ball in the pit of his stomach. “Sandaime wants to see you.” Raidou’s expression that was directed towards him was a mix of seriousness and a bit of sympathy. Anko quickly scrambled to her feet and Genma helped Iruka to his.</p><p>Hiruzen was seated behind the large mahogany desk. His pipe was absent from his lips and instead laying unlit on top of a pile of papers. Next to him was a soggy and very angry Kakashi. The hokage nodded to Iruka’s escorts as their cue to leave and close the door behind them. The jounin’s glare was nothing like he had ever witnessed. There was a fury so hot that the chuunin thought it would direct a kanton on him if it were possible. The hokage was the first to speak.</p><p>“Iruka, did you use the yondaime’s flying thunder god technique on Kakashi without his knowledge?”</p><p>“No, hokage-sama.” </p><p>“Liar.” Both men looked shocked to hear the jounin speak out of turn. He looked composed but it was evident from the building tension in the room that he was far from that. Hiruzen sighed and turned his attention back to the teacher.</p><p>“I will ask one more time, Iruka. Did you use the yondaime’s flying thunder god technique?”</p><p>“No.” he repeated. This time he could see Kakashi’s body twitch in agitation. He stood his ground and quickly followed up his response. “Lord Namikaze’s seal was far too specific to modify for my chakra level. I used the one created by nidaime-sama instead.”</p><p>Both men looked absolutely stunned. Kakashi’s anger lessened into a mixture of confusion, curiosity and awe. Sandaime, on the other hand, gazed upon Iruka as if he were a proud father admiring one of his own children. He smiled and let out a soft chuckle then reached for his pipe. Having both eyes on him in dramatically different ways made Iruka extremely nervous. He bit down on his lower lip and felt his skin start to flush. Every nerve ending tingled and he used all his control to no fidget as he stood in place.</p><p>“That you were able to accomplish an S-ranked jutsu in the short time I leant you those journals is very impressive.” Hiruzen’s smile continued to grow even as he lit his pipe and took a few puffs. “And you did not disappoint with your latest antics, even though it was at Kakashi’s expense. However I did not expect you to tackle something rather ambitious. That is to be commended.”</p><p>Kakashi’s gaze never faltered as he continued to study Iruka. He would be lying if he said it didn’t unnerve him. At the same time he was extremely curious as to why the older shinobi was fixating on him as intensely as he was. It was as if he were trying to peel away all the layers that made up Iruka’s entire being and analyze each one individually. He didn’t know if he should be insulted or extremely flattered. All he knew was that the longer that eye lingered on him the more he blushed.</p><p>“Starting tomorrow you will personally train with me to advance your aptitude for barriers and seals. It has been far too long since the village had an expert in those fields but now that shall change. I will share with you all my knowledge. Does that sound alright to you, Iruka?”</p><p>“Hokage-sama…” Both men said in near unison but for different reasons. Kakashi’s confusion grew, not understanding why such a misuse of a jutsu would be praised. Iruka was flabbergasted that instead of a reprimand or punishment the hokage wished to personally instruct him with the hope of being one of Konoha’s leading nin in these specialties.</p><p>“Unless you would rather spend time with Ibiki for not only this prank, but countless others over the years that may or may not be attributed to you.” The chuckle made it hard to tell if the elder was joking or actually serious.</p><p>“I accept, hokage-sama!” There was no question. He had always been inquisitive ever since he was a child and loved learning. This was at a whole new level. He was filled with the same amount of passion he held for teaching because this was something that he could not only learn but excel to a potential greater than any he had ever known possible. He wasn’t even thinking about how this could be a way to advance his rank. He was perfectly happy as a chuunin. A small part of him felt like there was more to him than just being really, really good at the core fundamentals all shinobi must know and thus when those jerk nin who were blinded by their own hype and arrogance called him ordinary as means of a slur he understood why they used it. Of course, Iruka was far from ordinary and there were countless shinobi and civilians who would agree.</p><p>“You are dismissed.”</p><p>Iruka gave a deep bow before exiting the office. He was surprised to find Kakashi following him. He hadn’t expected that, honestly thinking the hokage still had business with him. He looked over at him as the other quickly walked along next to him. “I may have gone a bit too far and for that I apologize.” he said. “But surely you must be aware of just how infuriating you are. How much grief and frustration you cause me. That was payback a long time in the making.” </p><p>There was silence for what felt like an eternity. He shouldn’t have been surprised. Kakashi had clearly been mad at him enough to report him to the hokage after all. His silence was most likely his way of refusing to accept his apology. Iruka let out a sigh and decided to mentally prepare himself for whatever would confront him when he returned to his shift.</p><p>“Dinner.” The chuunin stopped and turned. Iruka was utterly confused at the other’s sudden decision to speak, let alone a word that seemingly came out of nowhere. “That’s why I came to see you. Having a report or lack thereof was just an excuse to talk to you.”</p><p>Iruka felt like he was in a genjutsu because his cognitive processes decided that they no longer wanted to function properly or work very slowly. He probably looked absolutely dumbfounded. “Uh, what?”</p><p>“Before your stunt I was trying to ask you to dinner with me. In hindsight I can see why you would feel that way since my tactics to get your attention clearly worked but not in the intended manner.”</p><p>Yep, Iruka was definitely in a genjutsu because his brain felt like it was melting. He was acutely aware that the other was smiling. At least he thought he was. It was kind of hard to tell when 9/10’s of his face was hidden behind fabric but the way his eye was closed and crinkled in the corners made him think that he was. The chuckle he made was low and rumbled deep from him like a soft melody that seemed to awaken his mind from its slumber.</p><p>“Why dinner with me? Aren’t you still pissed? You looked like you wanted to kill me a few minutes ago.”</p><p>Kakashi shifted his weight and laughed. One hand went to the back of his head, a nervous gesture Iruka had never seen from the other before. “I was upset because I thought you had perversely used one of my sensei’s jutsu on me. Minato-sensei was more than just a mentor to me- not all that different from your relationship with sandaime. However when you said you based it off of nidaime’s design that made me calm down and start to fully process what you had actually accomplished. Naruto always raves about how amazing you are but now I honestly think he underestimates you. Everyone does.”</p><p>Iruka looked away after hearing the other’s confession. He tried to stop his face from heating up but it was futile. He touched his nose, running his finger along the scar. That was a tick he had whenever he felt awkward and unsure of himself. This was not something he had thought would happen and he didn’t know how to process it. “That doesn’t explain why you want to have dinner with me…”</p><p>“Oh right…” Kakashi chuckled again, his voice sounded a bit hesitant and unsure. Again this was something unlike the jounin that Iruka was acutely familiar with. “I wanted to apologize. Not for what I said at the chuunin exam nomination meeting but for how I said it. I also want to talk to you outside of things involving those brats known as my team. Genuinely talk where I can get to know you and you get to know me. Even though I think you’re cute when you get annoyed with me I don’t always want to make you that. Angry I mean.” Iruka’s head shot up and he stared blankly at him, jaw slack and he wouldn’t be surprised if his mouth was open slightly..  “So yeah… after your shift today is no longer viable so I’ll meet you after you finish your training with sandaime. Is that okay with you?”</p><p>He was beyond confused at this point. Just what exactly happened in such a short span of time? He blinked and found himself nodding slowly, unsure if he could explain why. Seeing the other “smile” again caused his face to heat up more. A small gust of wind surrounded by a few small leaves let Iruka know that the other had teleported away.  On autopilot his body resumed its return to the mission office. It had resumed normal functioning and was in a relative lull at the moment. He sat down and tried to replay all that had just transpired.</p><p>“Hello! Earth to Iruka.” He came out of his daze upon seeing Genma’s hand waving across his face. He could see the other’s concern. He also noticed that Asuma and an uncharacteristically quiet Anko were on the other side of the desk with a similar expression. “So, what happened? How much trouble are you in?”</p><p>“None.” he said softly. At their perplexity he continued. “I start training with the hokage tomorrow.”</p><p>“That’s it?” </p><p>Iruka couldn’t help feeling flustered. He looked down at his hands. Idly he started to flex his fingers. He shook his head. “And… I got asked out for dinner tomorrow night.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique design can be found here: https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Flying_Thunder_God_Technique</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To say that it had been a lousy day would have been a naive understatement. His students were absolute monsters for some ungodly reason. Iruka thought it was divine karma coming back to bite him. No one wanted to pay attention or sit still. When they weren’t ignoring him to chat amongst themselves they were complaining about the fact that they weren’t “learning how to be a real ninja yet” and that the books were a waste of time when they should be learning “super awesome powerful” jutsu. And that wasn’t including the couple fights he had to break up when he finally decided to let them go outside for target practice in the hopes of wearing down all their excess energy. Konohamaru had actually been one of the better behaved surprisingly. All in all he had broken up two fights, healed five injuries, and nearly injured himself three times from particularly horribly aimed throws, and made the entire class write a two-page essay on shinobi conduct for homework. At least he had his private training session with Hiruzen Sarutobi to look forward to.</p><p>He must have appeared worse than he felt when he arrived at the hokage’s office. The old man smiled and gently patted his shoulder. He led them into his private receiving room. Set up was a low table with cushions on the traditional tatami floor. On the table were a couple scrolls, ink and brushes, paper, and a large pot of tea with two cups. Hiruzen gestured for Iruka to sit before doing so himself.</p><p>“This will not follow a traditional teaching process.” he began. He poured them both some tea as he continued. “I am not a master of fūinjutsu nor barrier ninjutsu. And alas most of the texts from Uzushiogakure were destroyed with the fall of the city. However as I was a pupil of nidaime Lord Senju Tobirama and his older brother, our first hokage Lord Senju Hashirama, I do have a more refined understanding of the delicies and patience needed. I will pass on to you all that I know so that you may flourish and someday, should you choose, train the next generation so that this art is not lost to our village.” Pushing through the slowly creeping blush Iruka’s mouth widened into a large, cheesy grin. He nodded and bowed. The old man gave a small smile in return and lit his pipe.</p><p>Time flew by to Iruka. First Hiruzen wished for him to demonstrate what all he had taught himself so that he could understand where to begin their study. Iruka was more than happy to perform the same barrier technique he used to engulf his teapot as well as the fūinjutsu that trapped Anko’s newest “child” as she so fondly referred to her summons. He felt honored when he was praised for his ability to wield those as well as he had, particularly the latter as it was not an easy one to execute.They then reviewed the basic fundamentals of seals but in a more advanced manner in order for Iruka to have a deeper foundation than the basics taught at the academy.</p><p>All the while there was one thing that was nagging in the back of his mind; something Hiruzen had said the day prior.</p><p>“Sarutobi-sama, if you don’t mind my asking who was the previous seal master? You mentioned that the village was without one and I can’t recall anyone.”</p><p>The question gave the sandaime pause. He set down his pipe then slowly removed the hokage’s hat. “You would have been far too young to know.” There was both a distant fondness and deep melancholy in his voice. “Some would say it was the yondaime due to his ability to seal away the ninetails, but they would be wrong. It was the person who taught him how to do it. Uzamaki Kushina.”</p><p>Dawning realization came over Iruka. “I’ve come across that name before. It was in the journal from yondaime-sama that you lent me.” He then let out a light laugh. “He wrote her name with a flourish and it had hearts all around it in the early pages. It reminded me of some of my students who have crushes on their classmates.”</p><p>“You wouldn’t be wrong. He was very fond of her, long before she continued the legacy of her clan. The two worked closely especially once he had taken my place as leader of our village. Unfortunately both perished on the same day protecting the village. All those items I gave you, aside from the writings of Lords Senju and Namikaze, were once in her possession. Aside from a few more items that are more advanced, they are all that remains after the destruction of Uzushiogakure.”</p><p>Iruka knew the tale of the destruction of the Village Hidden by Whirling Tides. He taught it to his students when going over the history of Konoha and why many uniforms have the fallen village’s symbol embroidered on them. The village had been renowned for its mastery of sealing jutsu and how during the warring periods many of the other shinobi regions feared or hated them for it. Now with the new knowledge from Hiruzen he was at a loss for words, knowing that in his home casually scattered about his dinner table were some of the only surviving remnants of its legacy.</p><p>“Are you sure you want to entrust this to me? Surely there’s a jounin or maybe even an anbu far better suited to carry on such an invaluable legacy.” A newfound nervousness filled him and caused his body to become tense. This felt like a world of pressure suddenly on Iruka’s shoulders. That was not something he had ever expected and honestly he didn’t think he was worthy. He truly believed there must be someone far more qualified to be entrusted with what was essentially the lifeblood of an entire lost civilization.</p><p>Sensing his mounting worry, Hiruzen placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder. “Minato and Kushina had been in the process of making plans to select other shinobi who had an aptitude for this and train them so that no one individual was solely responsible for continuing this art- just as I am with you now. I am not expecting nor requiring you to become our village’s seal and barrier master. You can but only if you wish to. At the very least I know you will pass on much of what I teach you to your students at the academy. In that sense we are fulfilling their wish. You are in a better position to judge the potential of our future shinobi and if you find a pupil you wish to take under your wing, you have my permission to do so.”</p><p>Iruka felt his body breathe a sigh of relief at those words. While it was still a little intimidating he was comforted knowing that he was not expected to uphold the role and duties of what is essentially a tokubetsu. Being allowed to incorporate more seal and barrier instruction into his curriculum at the academy was a promising avenue he could not wait to explore.<br/>
A knock at the door interrupted their peaceful lesson. The hokage rose to his feet. “It seems my presence is needed elsewhere.” He picked up his pipe and readjusted his hat. “You are welcome to stay as long as you like. Leave the materials here as you have enough to read at home. We will meet again two days from now.”</p><p>He truly lost track of time. He was so engrossed in his study and taking notes. It wasn’t until he felt a stiffness in his neck and shoulders that he decided to call it a night. He packed up his notes and tidied up the table before exiting the room. He was able to catch a glimpse of the night sky from the vast windows behind the hokage’s desk and felt a bit embarrassed that it was probably later than he had anticipated staying. He was however, surprised to be greeted by the sight of that infamous dastardly orange novel.</p><p>“Kakashi-san?” he asked. “If you’re waiting for the hokage, he’s not here.”</p><p>The jounin pocketed his novel. “Actually I was waiting for you.” Seeing the other’s puzzled expression, he let out a chuckle that rumbled deep in his throat. “We agreed to dinner once you were finished, and since I forgot to set a specific time or location I thought I would just meet you here.”</p><p>Iruka’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He had completely forgotten that Kakashi had wanted to have dinner together. His face heated up and he felt like an asshole. Who knows how long he had been outside the office waiting for him. Iruka quickly began to bow. “I am so sorry! I completely forgot. I lost track of time. In fact, I don’t even know what time it is and….”</p><p>His stomach growled loudly, reminding him that it had been quite a while since he last ate. He righted himself as he heard Kakashi laugh. Genuinely laugh. The embarrassment caused his already reddened face to darken. He also couldn’t help thinking he had just heard something absolutely beautiful.</p><p>“I noticed.” Kakashi was teasing him but there was no malice. “Unfortunately our options are limited to bar food at this hour but I don’t think your stomach plans to argue. At least it’s good to know you haven’t eaten yet.” He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against and started down the hall.</p><p>“I really am sorry.”</p><p>“Relax, sensei. You can make up for it with another dinner.”</p><p>They ended up at a civilian operated izakaya not too far from the market. Iruka had never been there before so he was pleasantly surprised. They sat at a booth along the eastern wall. It was small but comfortable. The staff were extremely friendly and not because they were shinobi. The entire atmosphere had a lighthearted ease that made him smile rather stupidly. That made Kakashi produce that same laugh once more.</p><p>When he wasn’t making Iruka want to pull his hair out with untimely, poorly written or sody conditioned reports Kakashi was actually rather pleasant, dare he say almost charming. He was very attentive, letting Iruka get animated while telling him about what the hokage was teaching him. He never made him feel stupid for being so excited about learning things Kakashi might already know. He listened to every word with his masked chin in his hand, adding a comment or interjection every now and then. And laughing. Iruka liked hearing him do that.</p><p>“Have you ever thought about a summoning contract?” Iruka had been in the process of biting into a piece of a yakitori skewer when he heard the question. Instead of answering, he just simply shook his head and finished chewing. “It’s a type of seal but obviously different. If you’re curious to learn about it first hand I’d be glad to show you. I’m sure Bisuke and Bull would love meeting you.” Seeing his confusion made Kakashi laugh once more. “Don’t let Pakkun see you make that face. He’ll become jealous that someone made a puppy face cuter than he can.”</p><p>“Just how many summons do you have?”</p><p>When it was time to leave Iruka found himself oddly reluctant to do so. He had a much more pleasant time than he ever expected. Granted he did the majority of the talking and it was mainly about sealing and barrier jutsu but Kakashi never insisted on changing the subject. In fact he only encouraged it more. He also never showed any sign of being disinterested or bored. Iruka still couldn’t figure out how the man ate so quickly without him noticing but he wasn’t going to question it- every ninja had their quirks.</p><p>He could feel his unwillingness to end the evening grow. He didn’t want to misread the situation or read into anything that wasn’t there but he thought maybe Kakashi was feeling similar, as he was moving slower than his customary lazy stride. They stood outside the bar, a nervous silence between them. Iruka kept looking down at his feet, shifting his weight around. “So… um…”</p><p>“Would it be too weird to ask if I can walk you home, Iruka-sensei?” Iruka’s head shot up and he saw that Kakashi was looking away towards the street. His eye was closed in that grinning curve and his hand was rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He could not help but smile.</p><p>“Not at all.”</p><p>They continued to converse, this time about random things like books they each had recently read. And to Iruka’s surprise it hadn’t been an Icha Icha series novel for Kakashi. He was shocked to learn that even though he adored the series, he often repurposed a spare cover so that people would not bother him. Not believing him Iruka called his bluff, to which the other took out his book from his weapon’s pouch and pulled back the orange cover to reveal a crime noir. They both couldn’t help but laugh.</p><p>Seeing his apartment reminded Iruka that their night had come to a definitive end. Kakashi seemed to understand that as well. They stopped outside of the building complex and let the sounds of the night air fill the void that was growing. Iruka again looked down at his feet.</p><p>“So… this is me..”</p><p>“Yeah, so it would seem.”</p><p>“I really liked that place.”</p><p>“Yeah, me too. We should go there again.”</p><p>“Yes, definitely.” Iruka couldn’t understand why he suddenly felt like a teenager again. This was just dinner as a way for both of them to apologize for their recent semi-rude/childish antics towards one another. There was nothing more to it and yet he didn’t want to go inside. “You know, Kakashi-san, I actually enjoyed myself tonight.”</p><p>The jounin let out a nervous laugh that seemingly released the tension in the air. It helped Iruka relax and let out the breath he did not realize he had been holding. “I made sure that I was on my worst behavior. I only save my best for when I give you those reports.” He grinned as he watched Iruka roll his eyes and laugh.</p><p>“Oh, don’t I feel special then. If only you could be at your worst all the time”</p><p>“And where would be the fun in that?”</p><p>“It would save me a lot of headaches. But I do agree that it wouldn’t be as fun because then instead of a prank it would look like I was cruelly targeting you. And I would rather get the last laugh.”</p><p>“I’m glad we’ve come to an agreement then.” The air between them started to feel thick once more. Brown eyes watched as the jounin turned his head to look away towards the street. Iruka cast his gaze downwards and lightly kicked at the ground, trying to find some sort of distraction. “You should probably head inside. I’ve already kept you out later than you probably intended and I’m assuming you’ve got class in the morning…”</p><p>Iruka nodded. No matter how much he wanted to invite him inside in order to keep the evening going he knew they needed part ways. He did indeed have classes and then a closing desk shift the next day so he needed to get to bed as soon as possible. It still surprised him just how much he had enjoyed spending time with Kakashi, and even more so that he felt a deep sadness that the night was over. He did his best to hide his disappointment. “Well then… goodnight, Kakashi-san.” He gave a small smile and turned to head inside his apartment complex.</p><p>“Iruka-sensei, wait!”</p><p>The teacher stopped immediately. His chest began to swell and his heart raced. He wanted to grin and instantly turn around but he forced himself not to. No matter how eager he felt, he had no idea what the other was feeling and the last thing he wanted was to look like a fool. He took a deep breath and slowly turned around. “Yes?”</p><p>“The next time you meet with the sandaime…” There was a nervousness in the lone grey eye. It flashed for a split second but Iruka was positive he saw it. This was very uncharacteristic for the other, at least according to his reputation- well cultivated or rumored. Maybe Kakashi wanted him to see it? He had no way of knowing for certain. “...would you want to do this again? Dinner I mean?”</p><p>There was no way to hide his growing grin even if he had tried his hardest. He certainly didn’t even bother to. “I’d like that,” he replied. “It’s two days from now. I’ll make sure not to make you wait so long.”</p><p>They bid each other farwell again and Iruka went inside. As he climbed the exposed stairwell of the outdoor walkways that led to his floor, there was something nagging at the back of his mind. He couldn’t place it. All he knew was that his stomach was in knots and every fiber of his being wanted to race up the stairs like an excited child. He willed himself not to. When he made it to his floor, the fluttering in his stomach became almost unbearable. That nagging voice was screaming at him now and so he gave in to it. It was stupid to think that Kakashi would still be outside his apartment. He knew that all logic and rational thinking dictated that he would be long gone by now. Everything he was feeling was not the least bit sane for a man of his age and station in life. And yet he gave in, mainly just to make it all stop.</p><p>He approached the balcony railing and looked down. Kakashi was still where he had been when he left. The jounin looked up at him and their eyes locked. It felt like Iruka’s heart had stopped and all the air had been taken from his lungs. He hadn’t expected this and yet his body was screaming with such delight one would have when celebrating. The silver scarecrow gave a two-finger salute before going through the hand signs of the body flicker technique and vanishing.</p><p>Iruka’s whole body seemed to sigh with relief. It felt like a giant weight had been lifted off of him and his limbs had become boneless. He let himself lean against a support pillar of the enclosed promenade and sink down to the floor. Kakashi had waited for him, made sure he got to his apartment door safely. He wasn’t sure why but that made him grin stupidly.</p><p> </p><p>*****************</p><p> </p><p>For the next couple of weeks Iruka had a new routine. He would wake up, eat, dress, teach, and either stop home before a shift in the mission’s room or go straight to the hokage’s office to continue his specialized training. He looked forward to the days he met with Sarutobi. He was like a sponge, absorbing the knowledge of the seals and barriers faster than either had expected. Everything just clicked and felt unbelievably natural to him- like this was what he was meant to do. The only other time he felt like this was when he had decided to become an instructor at the academy.</p><p>The only thing he anticipated more than his next lessons with the hokage was dinner with Kakashi afterwards. With the chunnin exams quickly approaching Kakashi’s team was remaining within the borders of fire country on half day to two day missions. Also after the bridge fiasco that nearly killed the last Uchiha no one wanted to take any chances so close to the exams. To Iruka, it seemed as if Kakashi planned Team 7’s missions around his schedule because the jounin was always waiting for him when he finished. Even Hiruzen made a comment in jest about Kakashi’s new found “punctuality”.</p><p>They kept going back to the same izakaya. No matter how much Iruka loved ramen he didn’t want it multiple times a week- he wasn’t like Naruto. The little bar had a rotating menu of whatever the main chef (and owner) wanted to make that day. It was filled with great food, good drinks, a lively atmosphere, and it was ridiculously inexpensive. It had quickly become their place. They did not ask where the other wanted to go, it was an unspoken agreement that they would go there. Plus since very few shinobi went there they didn’t have to worry about running into colleagues, not that either of them would care. But because the place was mainly a civilian establishment they were welcomed like celebrities. The first few times it made Iruka flush with embarrassment and Kakashi laugh awkwardly since neither were in their chosen roles for attention or fame, but when it became apparent that every single one of the establishment’s regulars were treated to loud, boisterous shouts and applause that would revival Gai on a quiet day they relaxed- especially since it was clear that they were only known as “shinobi-san” and no fuss was made over their ranks. Iruka suspected Kakashi enjoyed being viewed as an ordinary ninja and not one of the village’s most elite.</p><p>After the second or third meal Iruka decided to create a makeshift divider because he was worried Kakashi was going to choke from eating too fast simply because of his need for facial secrecy. He ended up using his lesson planner since when opened and stood upright its size was able to let them both comfortably enjoy their meals and actually have conversations involving eye contact. Kakashi was speechless for a minute at first and that confused Iruka, (thinking he might have overstepped) until he explained that no one living outside of Gai, Asuma, someone named Tenzou, the hokage, and select medical staff had ever shown such consideration and respect towards him about his face and need for the mask. Iruka didn’t understand why anyone would be anything other than respectful. That was basic common decency to him but he did enjoy the flattery Kakashi gave him about it.</p><p>Once the chuunin exams began everyone was busier than normal. Iruka’s tutoring from the hokage was placed on hold as the sandaime had to attend various meetings with the village council, the hokage from other hidden villages and their representatives, as well as oversee all the duties that came with being a host village. During the final days of classes before an extended break (because no one would be able to focus while the exams were taking place) Iruka taught his students about the proper etiquette used to greet shinobi from other nations; instilling that every interaction, however small, was a reflection of Kohona and its people. All new outgoing missions had been suspended as well. Only a skeleton crew was needed at the desk to welcome back returning shinobi so any remaining were scheduled as couriers and escorts of the visiting dignitaries and delegates. Iruka had been assigned to conduct tours of the academy grounds and answer questions related to Konoha’s education plan. He had been surprised at how genuinely interested many of the education representatives from the lands of Iron and Lighting were and their eagerness to exchange teaching methods.</p><p>They finally found time to meet up to celebrate Team 7’s advancement to the second round. Naruto had dragged Iruka to ramen right after he had been revealed as the summon to inform them of their advancement. Kakashi had sought him out the following night. The izakaya was livelier than ever; the exams caused many to find any excuse to celebrate. They settled into their tiny booth per usual. One of the servers brought them a plate of gyoza, saying it was compliments of the owner “for his two favorite shinobi” before taking their order.</p><p>“I didn’t want to meet just to celebrate.”</p><p>Iruka was in the process of biting into one of the dumplings. He set it down on his plate and let himself finish chewing. He then straightened his posture in order to give the other his full attention. “Okay. I’m all ears.”</p><p>“Tomorrow starts the second round. If Sakura or Naruto pass I’ve already got potential instructors lined up for them. If Sasuke passes I will conduct his training personally.”</p><p>“I’m sure all three will make it to the finals. It’s great that you found people who can give specialized focus on Naruto and Sakura.” Iruka let out a light, jovial laugh. “I bet they’re great choices but you didn’t need to bring me here just to tell me that.”</p><p>“The training preparation period is for one month. Should Sasuke advance we will leave the village immediately.”</p><p>“Oh.” There was no hiding the disappointment in his voice. He was surprised at how crestfallen Kakashi’s words made him feel. He knew that there was always a gap between the second round and finals so that those advancing would have time to prepare mentally and physically. The chunnin exams were the shinobi equivalent of a pageant so there was pressure on each potential candidate to represent their village and clan (if they belonged to one) to the best of their abilities. He figured Kakashi would be busy during that time period if any member of his genin squad passed but to leave the village? And to do so the instant the second rounds finished? “Do you really have to leave the village?”</p><p>“Sasuke is under more pressure and scrutiny than any other participant this year. He won’t say anything about it but I sense that it will affect his focus and concentration if he remains here during the break. By removing all outside factors he can fully devote himself to training without having all the talk and gossip about his clan buzzing in his ears. He already carries that burden enough as it is.”</p><p>Kakashi was right. He had been right about Team 7’s readiness for the exams and he was right about Sasuke not needing to worry anymore about his lost clan more than he already does. Taking him far away from the snooping vultures was in his best interest. Iruka was shocked to discover that a large part of himself felt extremely selfish in that moment. He cast his gaze downwards as he felt ashamed for wanting that. He had no right to call himself a teacher if instead of focusing on the wellbeing of his former student he was more concerned about going an entire month without having dinner dates with Kakashi. He decided to ignore how his mind had decided to refer to their time together as a date.</p><p>“You’re absolutely right. That would be best for him in order to have a fair chance like everyone else. Just forget I asked such a foolish question.” Iruka laughed nervously in an attempt to brush off the topic and the growing knot in his stomach. He picked up his chopsticks in order to resume eating. A warmth suddenly enveloped the top of his hand. He lifted his head and his eyes saw the other’s gloved hand on top of his.</p><p>“Iruka…”</p><p>“Kakashi-san, it’s fine.”</p><p>The other’s fingers curled around his palm. “Iruka…” His voice sounded concerned, maybe a little pained. Iruka was probably reading into something that wasn’t even there. He kept telling himself that it was his stupid, selfish overly emotional mind playing tricks on him again. Fingers curled and held his hand tighter. His eyes slowly made their way to meet a single grey one. “I needed to make sure you knew. I didn’t want you hearing about my departure from anyone else. That would be disrespectful to you and the last thing I ever want to do. If I could tell you the location, I would.”</p><p>Iruka felt extremely confused. He also knew that he should have pulled his hand away by now but he didn’t want to. He liked the feeling of Kakashi’s hand on his, how warm and surprisingly gentle those murderous fingers were. “I appreciate the sentiment but I don’t think Sasuke would want me to visit him. Unlike Naruto who views me as a surrogate brother, Sasuke and I are nothing more than a former teacher and student.”</p><p>“I’m not talking about Sasuke anymore.” There was a pause and Iruka heard him let out a deep sigh. “I like spending time with you. I am telling you that I will be leaving the village for a month because I don’t want you to hear about it from others and feel like I vanished without saying goodbye. I want to tell you where will be but for security reasons I’m not allowed to. It would have been really nice if you could visit me.”</p><p>With the way the other kept emphasising the words I, you, and me made Iruka’s mind dive into uncharted waters of selfishness and he had no way to stop himself from reading into it. He had to be wrong because his heart was racing and he felt like the walls were closing in around them. He couldn’t breathe. His chest felt tight. Reluctantly he pulled his hand away and clutched at his vest because his entire body had actually forgotten how to take in oxygen.</p><p>“Iruka?” The alarmed concern in Kakashi’s voice helped him to focus. He still kept his hand holding onto the stiff armored fabric but his other pulled out some coins from his pocket and let them clank on the table in a rather ungraceful manner.</p><p>“I… I have to go.” He didn’t wait for what his companion would do or say. He got up. He could hear his name being called but it was being drowned out by an increasingly deafening white noise. He couldn’t focus on anything other than the fact that he needed to breathe, to stop the feeling like he was drowning in the ocean of his mind and infuriating neurons. He left without any regard for the jounin.</p><p>As soon as the night air hit him he ran. He didn’t know where he was headed and he didn’t bother to care. He sent chakra to his feet and he took to the rooftops. His thoughts were full of Kakashi- everything he had just told him, the way the worn leather glove felt on the back of his hand. How he always waited for Iruka in the tower and always seemed to give the impression of smiling during their conversations. The frustration from all the poorly written and soady condition reports. The sheer joy and accomplishment after executing his prank. He remembered how anxious and giddy he was after that first dinner (when neither wanted to leave) and how Iruka foolishly grinned, elated seeing the man waiting to make sure he got to his door safely.</p><p>He continued to run until his lungs burned and he was forced to rest. He ended up at the gated entrance to the abandoned Uchiha property. If he wasn’t winded he would have laughed loudly at the irony. He sank down to the ground before resting his back against one of the high stone columns that bordered the fenced in community. He took in deep breaths as he let his head hang between his knees. This was maddening to him and he didn’t know how to make sense of it.</p><p>He did not see Kakashi again until Sarutobi Hiruzen’s funeral.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He couldn’t publicly mourn, he wasn’t given the opportunity. He wore the traditional blacks like everyone else in the village, but during the service for all those who had fallen protecting the village from Orochimaru’s attack he was the only one looking out for Konohamaru. He couldn’t be mad at the boy’s family for this. Asuma was stoic per usual in public but given the semi-familial relationship Iruka had with him he could tell it was an act. He was too busy trying to stay strong for his sister, Konohamaru’s mother. She was inconsolable, relying heavily on her husband for support. That left the young boy alone. He was trying to imitate his uncle and failing. Iruka knelt down next to him and touched his shoulder. That was all it took for the boy to cling to him and sob into his shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stayed with him the entire service, even as the rain pelted down. He gently held him close and rubbed soothing circles on his back. His only words were to let him know that it was okay to cry and that he shouldn’t feel ashamed for being sad. He knew what it was like to lose family at a similar age and how horribly tough it was for him to handle it on his own. If he could provide a small amount of comfort to him he would.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually the boy cried himself to sleep, to which then Iruka gently lifted him up and held him over his shoulder. He kept to the back of the receiving area to make sure he wasn’t disturbed. He continued to gently stroke his back and keep Konohamaru as comfortable in his arms as possible. When things died down he saw Asuma.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can take him now.” he said, voice a bit strained. He gently peeled his nephew off of Iruka and the boy nestled against the new, much broader body. “I appreciate you being with him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was the least I could do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re welcome to come by the house. It’ll just be the family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka shook his head. No matter how much he viewed the late hokage as a surrogate father more than a mentor, he wasn’t family. Blood doesn’t always equate to kinship as he had many non-relatives that made up his new family, becoming the brothers and sisters he never had and now refused to be without. He knew that Hiruzen took him under his wing as a pseudo pupil shortly after he lost his parents and not kept at the traditional distance as he had with other lost children. If it hadn’t been for him making such a personal investment in him, Iruka was almost certain he would be living a different life- one void of fulfillment and lost within the crowd, or marred with delinquency and anger, or frankly, he would have gotten himself killed by now by doing something reckless. He will be forever grateful that he instilled him with the will of fire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asuma sighed and clasped his shoulder firmly. “You will always be one of us, even though it was never made official. If you change your mind, you know the address.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t feel like cooking or being social and eating out. He grabbed something premade from the convenience store that was near his home. He probably wasn’t going to eat it but he figured he should have something ready and waiting for whenever he did finally develop an appetite. He was cold, wet, and his muscles ached from cradling an eight year old. He was also tired. Not just physically tired but emotionally drained as well. It takes a lot more energy to look calm and composed and to keep the waterworks at bay than most would expect. He just wanted to curl up into his bed, stay in the dark and cry silently until he passed out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he rounded the corner from the stairwell onto his floor he was a bit shocked to see Kakashi. The man was leaning back against the banister of the open air hallway. His gaudy reading material was nowhere in sight. His hands were in his pockets and his gaze seemed to be focused on a specific spot on the floor. Iruka cleared his throat and continued on his way, giving the other ample warning of his approach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is there something I can assist you with, Kakashi-san?” He kept his tone of voice as professional as possible. Iruka still felt ashamed for running out on him the other in the way he had and for not giving an explanation afterwards. He could have made an effort if he really tried but he used the exams as an excuse to avoid having to address something that he did not know what to make of. He let anything and everything distract him. And then with Orochimaru’s attack and the death of the hokage he had even more excuses.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The jounin did not look up. If anything it seemed like he retreated into himself the moment he heard Iruka’s voice. “I, uh, wasn’t sure which unit was yours. I only knew what floor you are on…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m actually at the end of the hall.”  Iruka took a moment to study the other. His normally near gravity defying hair was flattened and plastered to his face from the rain. His whole body was soaked and it drew the imagery of a sad, wet puppy. Shaking his head, the chunnin let out a sigh. “Come inside and dry off.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were silent as he let Kakashi into his small but cozy one bedroom apartment. After kicking off his shoes he softly padded along the hardwood floor to his kitchen to put his food in the refrigerator. He filled his kettle and let the water heat up before turning his attention back to his uninvited guest. He couldn’t help but smile slightly seeing the fearsome shinobi standing in his doorway looking lost and confused. He was reminded of a puppy once more. He grabbed one of his large, plush towels from his bathroom and approached the other.  “Here.” His smile was genuine when Kakashi took it. “I’ll see if I have something that might be able to fit you so you can change.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That isn’t necessary.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka gave him the same flat stare he used on his students when one of them told him an excuse that they think is brilliant and don’t realize he sees through their lie. “You’ll catch a cold if you haven’t already. Besides, I don’t want wet stains on my furniture.” He turned and headed towards his room, gesturing to his left. “The bathroom’s right there where you can change or if you want a shower to help warm up.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t wait for the other to answer as he went inside his bedroom. After he shut the door, he leaned back against the wood. He closed his eyes and tried to slow down his racing heart. He kept telling himself that he was helping a comrade, and that Kakashi being in his home was not something to read into. The other must have some important reason to be there because why would he appear now at his place if not on official business. The soft click of his bathroom door brought him out of his internal musings. He quickly peeled off his wet clothes and toweled off. He changed into an oversized t-shirt and drawstring sleep pants and looked for something similar that could possibly fit Kakashi. While searching his dresser drawers he found a handkerchief he rarely ever used and added that to his growing pile, hoping it would work as a temporary substitute for a face covering. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He put his own towel over his head and went to the bathroom. He set down his bundle in front of the door and knocked lightly. “I put some clothes here for you. They probably won’t fit properly but at least they’re dry.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “I’m going to make some tea. Would you like some?” The door opened a tiny bit and instinctively Iruka stepped back. A solitary grey eye looked at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only if it isn’t more of a burden than I’ve already put upon you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense. You’re my guest.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka plastered one of his award winning smiles onto his face, the kind that were reserved for when he found himself in awkward situations, and went into his kitchen. He busied himself with turning on the kettle. He frowned realizing that he only had a couple of his quick brew bags. He had to pause as he grabbed the container that housed them. It had only been days ago when he last met with the sandaime. He could still remember the aroma of the shincha filling the air and blending with the ever present tobacco in an oddly pleasant way. The elder’s deep, raspy chuckle and comforting hand on his shoulder were clear as day in his mind. He felt himself start to choke up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was lost in his thoughts. Any notion of the kettle forgotten. He did not even sense Kakashi’s approach, not until he felt a warmth pressed against his back and arms wrap around him. Arms that were deadly weapons and could bring down nations were instead enveloping him in a hesitant but tender embrace. They were the catalyst that opened the floodgates to all of the emotions that he had packed up so tightly and repressed in order to be a pillar for everyone else. The tears came silently at first. All too quickly they flowed freely down his face with no end in sight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His body began to tremble. Kakashi caught him as his legs gave out, pulling him backwards tightly against his chest. Iruka’s whole body began to shake uncontrollably as ear-splitting wails forced their way out of him. He felt himself being turned around and both men lowered onto kitchen tiles. He buried his sobs into the jounin’s shoulder as his fingers gripped at familiar fabric. Kakashi said nothing, choosing to remain silent and let him finally have a chance to mourn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-----------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know how long he had cried. He certainly didn’t remember how he made it into his bed. And yet there he was. He was exhausted, his throat felt hoarse. His body ached and his nose was stuffy- all signs that he had been sobbing heavily. He clutched at his blankets and buried his face into their softness. Fingers gingerly smoothed over his hair and he looked up. His reddened puffy eyes widened at the sight of Kakashi sitting up in his bed. His face heated and he flushed terribly but not because the older man was sans mask. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh… hi…” he croaked. Kakashi gave a small, shy grin. It was one he had given him many times before but it was so different now that Iruka could see how the left corner of his lips tugged slightly higher than the other, giving it a subtle lopsided quality. He looked down at his bedding, trying to focus on anything and everything other than the man in his bed or the tiny mole on his chin that Iruka thought was extremely adorable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi…” Kakashi’s hand stopped stroking his hair. He could feel his fingers tensing, like they wanted to continue but unsure if that was allowed now that Iruka was awake. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka’s face felt like it was on fire. He was extremely embarrassed. He was supposed to be a proper host and yet his guest had watched him fall apart and picked up the pieces. It also didn’t help that he was the most flustered he had ever been in his life. He had known the moment he chose to run away from their last encounter that he started to develop non-platonic feelings for the jounin. Now seeing him in such a state of undress (he considered Kakashi’s bare face to be practically naked) and looking as if they were always meant to be sharing a bed together made his face and brain feel like they were short circuiting and about to melt.  He shoved his face into his blankets in a futile attempt to hide from the world and the other’s capturing gaze. “You didn’t have to stay…” he nearly whispered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing the other create that same carefree laugh made his heart flutter. It was warm and light, making him feel fuzzy, giddy, and anything but the mature adult he was supposed to be. “Unfortunately I don’t speak blanket.”  Those rough calloused fingers began stroking the top of his head once more. Iruka did everything he could to not sigh in bliss. This small, simple act was so soothing and felt heavenly. “Even though you make it sound quite adorable would you please repeat that in a language I can actually understand.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said, you didn’t have to stay.” His voice was louder but he still continued to burrow himself. He needed to be hidden as he couldn’t bring himself to look at the other. He felt pathetic. Utterly pathetic. He hated that he had become pathetic to the point of making the other take care of him and even more that he was secretly reveling in it. The atmosphere was strangely intimate even though nothing had occurred to warrant it. He fought against the urge to sigh happily and melt under the soft ministrations of those deadly fingers tenderly stroking his scalp, providing a soothing comfort he didn’t know he wanted and would yearn for from now on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I did.” There was a surety in his voice that surprised Iruka. He’d heard determination and conviction in his voice before- the argument over the chuunin exams had proven that. This was different. It was a different type of confidence. He couldn’t place it exactly but it reminded him of the times when he felt bold and fearless diving head first into situations like executing a new prank or flirting with a stranger at a bar after a shot or two of liquid courage. This sudden change in Kakashi’s tone confused him. He couldn’t prevent it from being written all over his features amongst his blush when the other pulled down the blankets from his face. “I came here for you. You are always selflessly taking care of others but never yourself. I know how much the sandaime meant to you. I’m probably the last person you want to see right now but I didn’t think you should be alone tonight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka blinked. Then he blinked again. Kakashi had come to provide him comfort and support, to allow him to grieve. Iruka knew himself too well and if he had been left alone he would have just bottled up all his emotions and stayed strong and smiling for everyone until something completely random set off a trigger and he broke into a million pieces. But instead the jounin was there for </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> even after he ran out on him the last time they met and he had done everything he could to avoid him once he got word that the other had returned just in time for the start of the finals.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had been such an idiot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m actually glad that you’re here… that it’s you and not someone else.” Iruka was reluctant to move from his spot because he was comfortable and enjoying the continued caress but he willed himself to sit up. He knew he needed to explain his actions from before at some point. That would be a topic he would have to slowly ease into and test the waters; do it in a way that wouldn’t be obvious just in case things could go horribly south. He reached up and took the hand from on top of his head and held it gently, resting them both on his lap once he sat up. “I have a horrible habit of avoiding certain topics instead of tackling them upfront like I do with just about everything else in my life. If anyone else were here right now I would have just kept on smiling and ignored all my feelings in order to focus on them. I wouldn’t have let myself fall apart like I did. I guess it’s because either they expect me to be a certain way or I think that’s what they want. I don’t get that impression from you. Well… at least I haven’t for a while now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t expect anything from you.” Kakashi’s hand squeezed his lightly. “Correction, the only thing I would ever expect is your honesty when it’s needed- whether I ask for it or not. You set that precedent yourself.” That lone storm color eye captured his gaze and it felt like he was caught in a genjutsu. He knew that wasn’t the case but he felt like he was drowning as the other looked into his soul and he wanted it to happen. He wanted to melt as he felt his heart skip a beat. “That’s one of the things I like most about you. You don’t let my rank or reputation cloud your opinion and judgement.” Iruka’s eyes grew large as he felt slim fingers intertwine with his own.  “I test people and intentionally push them away but you call me out on that. You don’t put up with me and that makes me want to do it more just so I can be confronted with that brutal honesty. Plus, you’re extremely cute when you’re angry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi....”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka didn’t pull his hand away. He did not want to. The warmth from the contact slowly raced up his arm. Once it reached his torso it washed over him like a summer tide. He found himself leaning towards the other and he didn’t dare stop himself.  Their shoulders touched and it sent a pleasurable spark that caused him to tense briefly before his whole body sighed. He felt Kakashi tense up but he slowly relaxed as well. He couldn’t help but focus on their interlocked hands. The contrasting light and dark hues of their skin blended together in a way that was somewhat beautiful.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi gently squeezed before lightly rubbing his thumb across the smoothness of Iruka’s skin- a stark contrast to his own that was rough, dry and calloused. “I had hoped to do this after dinner.” His voice was no longer as sure and confident as it had been before. The whisper of a hint of strain was all Iruka needed to figure out that he was nervous. To anyone else they wouldn’t have been able to notice but for how much time the two had been spending together he was able to decipher a couple of Kakashi’s tells. Though he would probably need a refresher on decoding since Kakashi was a harder mystery to unravel than some of the most classified intelligence correspondences. “Clearly I had offended you that night. I’m used to people eventually getting fed up with me and leaving. Just… let me have this for a couple more seconds and then I’ll leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka could feel tears welling up. He knew his sudden departure from their last meeting was uncharacteristic of him but he had not considered how it would have been interpreted. He felt so foolish realizing that he made Kakashi think that he had offended him. That was far from it. In fact, he hadn’t done anything like that for quite some time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not why I left.” he said meekly, afraid to hear himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi did not respond right away. The silence was eating away at Iruka’s nerves. But he didn’t release their hands nor push Iruka away, so the teacher took that as a positive sign. “Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because… because I was confused. Remember earlier I said I tend to avoid certain issues instead of dealing with them? That’s what I did. I was a mess inside and unsure how to interpret what was happening because it felt like something had changed. The last time I felt even remotely like this… resulted in a fuuma shuriken nearly severing my spine.” Slowly Iruka moved off of his shoulder. He couldn’t look at Kakashi, not yet if he wanted to be honest with the man as well as himself. “I felt like something had changed but I didn’t know if it was just in my head or not; if I was reading into something that didn’t exist. And the way you were talking… instead of actually discussing it with you, to find out if maybe I wasn’t the only one who noticed, I panicked and ran.” He squeezed their hands and took a deep breath. “I guess we’re talking about it now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kakashi was quiet. It was only for a brief moment but to Iruka it felt like an eternity. The pit of his stomach knotted and flipped, making him feel uneasy. Maybe he had indeed imagined it all. Maybe things hadn’t changed and he had misread it, hoping for something that was never there to begin with. He wanted to pull away, to hang onto whatever was left of his dignity before he broke down again and buried his shame for being such a fool. He slowly made a move to unlock their hands when he felt those lanky fingers clutch his even tighter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You were correct in your assumption.” Iruka’s head shot up and he stared at him in disbelief. “Many things have changed between us. Naruto sparked some of them. How can my opinion of you not change in some fashion when that brat incessantly screams your praises.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span> That had not been what Iruka had been hoping to hear. Before he could interject Kakashi continued. “I had already grown to respect you for never shying away from your beliefs and opinions but it wasn’t until after you sent me on that little trip to a fountain bath where I got a glimpse into how your mind works that I let myself acknowledge that I felt something different. Getting to know you only fueled the growing shift occurring inside me. It was more than just enjoying your company. I was actively seeking you out and dreading when we would have to go our separate ways.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kakashi-san,  I…” He was absolutely flabbergasted. He felt his breath catching and his nerves tingling. He started to fill with hope. Hope for a genuine friendship between the two and not just mere colleagues. Hope for maybe becoming more than just friendship between them. Hope for something he dare not say out loud, fearing that vocalizing it will make things too real and burst the fragile bubble they were in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to explore these feelings, together.” Kakashi continued to hold the teacher’s hand, lightly squeezing it a couple of times. With his free one his finger gently touched Iruka’s reddened cheek, trying to soothe the slightly puffed up skin below his eye. “This is new territory for me as well. I would be lying if I didn’t say the uncertainty isn’t daunting or terrifying. All I know for certain is that I feel warm when I see you smile, music when I hear your laugh, and a painful knot in my stomach when we have to part ways. When I’m with you I don’t feel like an expendable tool for the village. I feel...whole.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Iruka resisted the urge to close his eyes as the other lightly caressed his cheek. He felt his body want to lean into the warmth of those rough, calloused fingers. Instead he flexed his fingers that were interwoven with his own before gently squeezing back. “W-What happens now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was probably meant to be a smirk, but it was so soft that it made Iruka’s heart flutter. “Now, you rest. Unless I get summoned, I can be here when you wake up”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A bashful smile curled at his lips. “I’d like that.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique design can be found here: https://naruto.fandom.com/wiki/Flying_Thunder_God_Technique</p></blockquote></div></div>
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